Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1887-02-02
The Romance which Lent Method to y
Mad Wanderers Ceaseless Tramp.

The Romance which Lent Method to n
Nad Wanderers Ceaseless Tramp.
Laramie Boomerang
On the northern border Of the great Ma
iional park, where rise the towering
peaks Of the Snow mountains, there has
long lived man known as THE
Wanderer." This man has never had, in
the many years he has been known 10 the
hunters ard trappers of the region, any
settled habiiation, but has wandered back
ward and forward through the Snow
mountains, apparently ever on the search
for something. Scattered through the
mountains he had several rude huts, in
which he sojOurned for a few days at
time, only 10 take up again the weary cir
Gle Of hrs endless searth. BY the men Of
rife and trap he has long been considered
crazy, end the Indians Of the section have
evidently thought the same Of him, and,
with the wcll-Inown pity entertained
by the rcd tribes fer those mentally
an icted by the Great Spirit have never mo-
Tested him in any way. From hunter
and trapper Of the Snow mountains, who
was in Laramie few days ago, the scribe
learned Of the Wanderers" singular life
and of his death. which took place some
months ago. Tho old man was found in
one Of his numerous halting-places by
party Of hunters several days after his
wardsrings had ceased forever.
An examination Ct the papers on HE
person showed that his had been a mad
ness fun Of method. and revealed tale
before which the story Of Ali Baba and
the robbers cave Talcs into insignificance.
The old man, whose namc was ascertained
10 be Arthur Bethany, though he had
probably not heard il called for a score Of
years, came TO the Snow mountains TWEEN.
ty-five years ago in the prime and vigor Of
youthful manhood. A native of Penn.
sylvania, his youthful blood had been fred
by accounts Of the great West, and
lie h.d started for the new coun-
try, joining On exploring and
hunting party at st. Louis. The
party penetrated in Wyoming, passed
through the Big Horn basin, and in the
late fall Of 1861 found themselves on the
head waters of the Clarke fork of the
Yellowstone. Following up the Clarke
fork they soon came upon the canyon OF
tho stream, and entering IL, passed through
and came out among the mountains in the
confines Of the great National park. Hero
they inaugurate1 grand hunt among the
mountain game they found so plentiful.
One day Bethany wandered away from
the party in pursuit Of a bear he had
wounded, and followed tho trail into the
Snow mountains. In deep and rocky
gorge he ran his game TO earth and saw
him enter an opening in the side of the
gorge On approaching the opening he
saw that IL must lead into a cavern Of con.
siderable extcIt, ard at cnce boldly fol
lowed the game. He soon found the bear
just dead from its wounds.
But where d id he find il. In the midst Of
a scene Of dazzling splcndor. The entire
interior OF the cavern was a mass ofvirgiI
gold studded with dazzling gems. From
seams Cvc.hcCd :Ec:c cCmo only ST.,
amount Of Hgh;, AID in tic semi-obscuritJ
the gems gave forth lyri.r, - RVS anc
the pure Gre Filed the cavern with colder
sheen Scarcely able 10 believe tic cvi
dencc Of his senses, Bothanny examined
the precious stones Of tho cavern at first
with fear and trembling, and then with
the widest transports Of JOY. In the nar
row. rocky seams which trnvcrsed the
golden mass Of the cavern walls ne recog.
nized The diamonds brilliant white, tho
rcd fame Of the ruby and the flashes OF
beautiful blush q cen peculiar to the tur
quois. With head in O whirl AID heart
beating tumultuously, Bethany left the
gorgeous cavern 20 tell his comrades of his
extraordinary discovery, for there wcrt
enough riches there 10 make them al
Rothschilds. But scarcely had he emerged
from tho cavern when he found himself
envelopcd in a sudden and whirling mount
ain snow-stOrm. In vain he tried again &c
find the cavern entrance. and in his search
he must have wandered far away from the
locality. All night the storm ragged, anc
when morning broke, cold and gray, ht
found that he was hopolessly lost. The
snow covered the ground 10 a depth Of
many inches, end he could neither find the
cave nor his way back to his companions
To be brief, he passed the long winter
amid the deep mountain SHOWS and wheI
spring came at last he renewed his search
for the cavern of gold and gems, and
searched for it until the day he lay down
IN die